I Found You
by Keyla
Summary: I'm trying to make a serie with this fics, and this would be the first one. Qui-Gon meets Obi-Wan for the first time and learns something from the boy's past. Obi-Wan is 3.


Title: I Found You  
Author: Keyla Kenobi - keyla_kenobi@naboomail.com  
Rating: G  
Archive: Sure, just e-mail me!   
Disclaimer: The boys belong to George Lucas, I don't make money with this,   
I just use them for the MUSH!  
Warning: There is a loving and parental relationship between Obi and Qui,  
there is no slash so if you don't like that, don't read any further.  
Summary: I'm trying to make a serie with this fics, and this would be the   
first one. Qui-Gon meets Obi-Wan for the first time and learns something   
from the boy's past. Obi-Wan is 3.   
Beta-Read by Aida (The best Beta-reader!!!! Thanx!!)  
/ Are italics /  
Spoilers: I don't think there are any, just that Xanatos is mentioned in   
this one too.  
Check out also my other fic if you want:  
Grumpy Tummy, A very Important Prescene In My Life, A Rainy Day, Fear, and   
Teaching and Learning. They are all connected except for Fear.  
  
*** *** *** *** *** ***  
  
I Found You  
  
Qui-Gon Jinn stopped suddenly as he felt *something*. And that something was   
coming from the direction of the Creche's playground. He stretched his senses   
until he could hear a frightened little voice.  
  
"M-mommy...mommy, he'p me...!"  
  
The Master frowned and quickly headed toward the playground. There, on the   
highest slider, a small, trembling boy was calling softly for his mother.   
Qui-Gon quickly climbed the stairs and soon found the little initiate in   
question. The little boy was huddling in a corner of the slider's landing,   
his eyes tightly shut. Qui-Gon observed that the little initiate appeared to   
be no more than three years old..  
  
"Hello. little one," he spoke gently, trying not to startle the child.  
  
The boy looked up, fright radiating from his ice-blue eyes. He examined the   
stranger before him and, after a pause, whispered sorrowfully, "You no my   
Mommy."  
  
Qui-Gon chuckled. "No, I guess I'm not your Mommy," he smiled softly, "but,   
perhaps I can help you. Can you get down?"  
  
The boy shook his head as he stretched his short arms in the direction of the   
Master. Qui-Gon approached and gently picked the child up. Immediately, the   
little initiate clung tightly to the elder Jedi's neck; hiding his face   
between the Master's neck and the soft, flowing hair. Making sure that the   
little boy was firmly secured against him, Qui-Gon began the careful descent   
down. As they descended, Qui-Gon softly asked, "What's your name?"  
  
The boy took some time before answering. But, finally he replied in a   
muffled voice, "Obi-Wam."  
  
"Obi-Wam?" the Master repeated.  
  
"No! Obi-WaM!" the child corrected him, stressing the last word.  
  
"Ah," Qui-Gon finally understood, "Obi-Wan?"  
  
The boy nodded silently.   
  
"Glad to meet you, Obi-Wan. I'm Master Qui-Gon," the tall Jedi said as he   
introduced himself.   
  
But, there was no reaction or answer from the boy. /That's strange,/ Qui-Gon   
thought, /He should be crying, or at least a little frightened, but he is   
reacting so calmly./  
  
  
The trip towards the Creche was silent; Qui-Gon was at a loss for words. He   
was not accustomed to dealing with children simply because the majority of   
them became scared after they saw his imposing form. And it didn't help   
matters that he did not respond well in the presence of children.   
  
But this little boy was different. Qui-Gon felt as if they had met somewhere   
before, although he did not recall ever seeing the child.  
  
Once they arrived at the Creche, they were met by Master Skyla Lo'Tren. The   
slim young woman had eyes and hair as dark as a moonless night. Clearly, she   
had been waiting worriedly for someone in her office. She was so distracted   
that she took no notice of Qui-Gon approaching in her direction.  
  
"Skyla?"  
  
The young woman turned abruptly, a bit startled. But, when she saw the small   
bundle in Qui-Gon's arms, her relief was evident.  
  
"Obi-Wan! Thank the Force you're all right! I was so worried! Thank you   
too, Qui-Gon. Where was he?" she asked as she attempted to take Obi-Wan from   
the tall Master's arms.   
  
But this, apparently, was not what Obi-Wan wanted. He held tightly to   
Qui-Gon's neck, refusing to let go. He kept his face hidden in the Master's   
soft hair, while not making a sound.  
  
The tall Master mutely signaled to Skyla, shaking his head and indicating   
that the boy would be remaining with him for the moment. The young Creche   
Master nodded her understanding and released the little boy.  
  
"He was playing in the playground and ended up stuck on one of the sliders,"   
Qui-Gon answered, amusement lighting his features.  
  
"Oh, Obi-Wan, always looking for adventure. And I bet he chose the tallest   
slider!" Skyla added with a chuckle.  
  
Jinn nodded, grinning, then gazed down at the silent little boy.  
  
"I will notify everybody that he was found safely," said the young woman as   
she turned to leave.  
  
"So, you are an adventure seeker?" Qui-Gon asked his charge gently as he   
entered Skyla's office. He walked towards one of the chairs by the desk and   
sat down. "You know, when I was a little guy like you, I used to do the same   
all the time. And I got into a lot of trouble as well."  
  
Obi-Wan pulled back at last, seemingly interested in the Master's words. But   
his little face was oddly stoic, not showing any emotion, except for his   
eyes. Qui-Gon observed that the ice-blue eyes displayed only sadness, sorrow   
and pain. Hard emotions that this child had somehow bottled up inside   
himself. /But why?/ Qui-Gon wondered, /Why would such a small boy feels this   
way?/ The Master felt a strange constricting sensation inside his chest as   
he looked into those large, sorrowful eyes. He decided to make another   
attempt in order to earn a smile from the boy sitting quietly on his lap. He   
smiled mischievously at the boy and added, "Master Yoda used to chase me   
with his walking stick all over the Temple! That shows you how much trouble   
I got in to."  
  
Nothing. The child's face was not moving. Very slowly, Obi-Wan nestled his   
head on Qui-Gon's chest, made himself comfortable, and whispered, "You weah   
little?"  
  
The elder Jedi couldn't suppress his laughter. "Yes, Obi-Wan. Once, many   
years ago, I was as little as you are now."  
  
"Don' be'ieve you," he heard the small, protesting voice, "You too tall!"  
  
Qui-Gon laughed again, "But I wasn't born this tall, little one." For some   
reason, children, and a few grown ups, had the impression that he had been   
born, fully grown, with his exceptional height.  
  
Unexpectedly, Obi-Wan pulled back and stared up into the Master's intense   
blue eyes. For a moment, Qui-Gon thought the little boy could see right   
through him. But, after a few seconds, he was presented with the most pure   
and brilliant smile he had ever seen.  
  
"You good," the little initiate stated as he lowered himself again onto   
Qui-Gon's chest.  
  
Qui-Gon was speechless. "Thank you" was all that he could say. He was   
completely stunned by the boy's reaction. He had noted that while the child   
had been looking at him, he felt that Obi-Wan was not just looking at the   
physical *him*, but it was as if the boy were seeing beyond him. Able to see   
who the real Qui-Gon was, his true being.  
  
At that precise moment, Master Skyla entered the office and stopped. She   
couldn't believe her eyes. Was that a smile on Obi-Wan's lips?  
  
She looked at Qui-Gon, confusion clearly written in her dark, soulful eyes.   
Qui-Gon smiled, "We've been talking for quite awhile. He doesn't believe   
that I could be as little as him when I was younger."  
  
"You've been doing what?"  
  
Qui-Gon's smile slowly began to fade, "We have been...talking?"  
  
"Qui-Gon, that's impossible! Obi-Wan has been unable to speak since the day   
he was brought here!"  
  
Both Jedi's attention were drawn to the yawning little boy. The little   
initiate had apparently failed to notice Master Skyla's arrival. "Can you   
stay heah, Mashtah Wy...Wy...Wygee?" he slurred Qui-Gon's name as he   
attempted to create a name less complicated for him.  
  
Skyla's eyes were widely open, as was her mouth. She just couldn't believe it!  
  
Qui-Gon chuckled at the nickname he had just been given. "Of course, little   
one. Want me to stay until you fall asleep?"  
  
Obi-Wan nodded, rubbing his face against Qui-Gon's clothes in a very sleepy   
way. Being near this Master made Obi-Wan feel safe and warm, just like a long   
time ago. With an added yawn, he drifted off, still holding firmly to the   
Master's tunics.  
  
"Qui-Gon, this is completely amazing!" exclaimed Skyla. "Obi-Wan has never   
spoken with anyone. Not even with the other children!"  
  
"Well," Qui-Gon replied, still a bit confused, "He's been talking with me   
quite normally. I mean..."  
  
Just then Mace Windu entered through the main doorway, obviously trying to   
catch his breath.   
  
"Did you find him?", he asked, still recovering from what appeared to be a   
long run.  
  
"Yes, Qui-Gon found him."  
  
"Qui?", Mace asked as he stretched his neck in the direction of Qui-Gon.  
  
"Keep it down you two! You're both going to wake him!", Qui-Gon whispered   
fiercely as he pointed to the sleeping initiate.  
  
Mace stepped closer and observed Obi-Wan contentedly curled and sleeping on   
Qui-Gon's lap. He gave a sigh of relief, but soon his mischievous mind   
started working.  
  
"Aww, Qui, you look so adorable holding the little boy. It's a pity I didn't   
bring my camera!", Mace whispered mockingly.  
  
Qui-Gon shot him a 'say-another-word-and-I'll-kill-you' stare as he drew both   
arms protectively around the sleeping child.  
  
Mace was about to shoot back a cocky response, but felt Skyla tugging on his   
arm. "Mace! Obi-Wan can speak!"  
  
The Council Member's face was worthy a holo-pic. Qui-Gon himself had a hard   
time preventing a fit of giggles from escaping from him.   
  
"What?! You serious?!?"  
  
The overjoyed Master neglected to control his voice's volume and ended waking   
Obi-Wan. He threw his hands over his mouth as the other two Masters hush him,   
but it was late.  
  
A pair of intense ice-blue eyes fluttered open. Sleepily, they seemed to   
search for something, or someone, until they found their target. Gently   
tilting his head back, Obi-Wan looked up to make sure that Qui-Gon was still   
with him.  
  
"Sorry to have awakened you, Obi-Wan. It was just Master Mace   
being...himself.", he glanced at Windu as he spoke.  
  
Obi-Wan directed his eyes towards the Council member and, as soon as he   
recognized Mace, he gifted him with his most bright, but sleepy, smile just   
before snuggling back against Qui-Gon.  
  
"Don' go, Wygee. Can you shtay all nite?" he murmured sleepily as he   
clutched tighter at the elder Jedi's tunics.  
  
Qui-Gon questioningly looked up at the two Masters. Skyla quickly nodded to   
the unspoken question, while Mace appeared too much in a state of shock to   
answer.  
  
"Okay, Obi-Wan, I'll stay with you," Qui-Gon said soothingly as he smoothed   
the boy's auburn hair. But Obi-Wan already fallen asleep before Qui-Gon could   
answer.  
  
"D-did you see that?" Mace stammered as he slowly came out from his   
paralysis. "H-he smiled. At m-me!"  
  
Qui-Gon didn't understand what was happening.   
  
"Mace, its normal that kids smile at people," and turning to Skyla, added,   
"And its normal that children are able to speak. I don't understand why you   
two are acting in this manner." Qui-Gon finished as he shook his head in   
disbelief and gazed at both Masters.  
  
Mace smiled understandingly, then sat on the chair in across from Qui-Gon.   
"You have no idea who this boy is, right?" he asked gently.  
  
Qui-Gon considered his answer for a brief moment. He had indeed felt   
something when he had approached the playground. A feeling as if he and the   
child had met before. It almost felt like a...connection. Instead, he   
answered, "No, I have no idea who he is."  
  
Mace sensed what Qui-Gon was thinking, but decided against mentioning it.   
"His name is Obi-Wan Kenobi. Remember the last mission that we handled   
together?" the Council Member asked calmly, and when he saw that Qui-Gon was   
unable to locate the incident, added, "The one before...Xanatos turned."  
  
At the sound of Xanatos' name, Qui-Gon stiffened and took his eyes away from   
Mace. Even though the memory was painful, he was able to recall the mission   
that Mace was mentioning.  
  
"Yes, I do," he cleared his throat before answering.  
  
"And do you remember the girl you found?"  
  
Qui-Gon frowned, then closed his eyes as he searched his mind until he found   
the image of a young twenty-year-old girl. They had found the girl sprawled   
on the floor, destruction and death surrounding her. She was certainly dead,   
but he remembered that he had sensed something alive as he neared her   
lifeless body. As he approached, he gently moved the girl's body on its side   
and discovered an infant boy curled under his mother's limp arm. The tiny   
baby could not have been older than one-year-old, and both his ragged   
clothes, as well as his small hands and face, were stained with her blood.   
The Master had gasped, shocked at the horrible sight. At first, he thought   
the infant also dead, but when he leaned towards it, he could hear small   
sniffling noises and he appeared to be whispering. Trying not to be noticed   
by the child, he had knelt beside him and had stretched out with his senses   
in order to hear what the baby was saying.  
  
"Mommy,...wake up...wanna go 'ome...Mommy?"  
  
The Master could hear that the small voice was hoarse and weak, apparently   
from screaming, and he could also sense the exhaustion straining at the small   
form.  
  
As carefully as he could, he lifted the young woman's arm and picked the   
thin, huddled form from the floor. It was so light in his arms. He winced as   
he wondered just how many days the little boy had been without food or water.   
He pushed the thought from his mind as he quickly cradled the small bundle   
against his chest, and wrapped the now shivering body in his own large robe.  
  
The little boy was too worn out and confused to put up a fight against   
Qui-Gon. He allowed the tall stranger to pick him up as he felt warmth and   
comfort surround him. He felt peace radiating from the Master's body,   
warming his soul, as he felt something warm and soft warm his shivering body.   
Surprisingly, he felt safe now, just like home.   
  
"Daddy?" he asked faintly.  
  
Qui-Gon heard the hoarse whisper, but there was no time to explain that he   
wasn't "daddy". Instead, he just answered, "Yes, little one. Don't worry, you're going to   
be okay now."  
  
  
Qui-Gon's eyes sprang open and he stared at Mace. Sudden realization washed   
over him as he gazed down at the sleeping bundle in his arms. Was it...?  
  
"That baby that you found two years ago is sleeping on your lap, Qui," Mace   
said finally. "After we arrived, you accompanied Xanatos on that last   
mission. Once, we realized that the boy was Force-sensitive, the Council   
agreed to train him. But, he hadn't been able to utter a word.....until now."  
  
Qui-Gon was stunned. It was completely incredible! This was the same little   
boy he had rescued? He had assumed that the child had been sent to a new   
family after he had recovered from his ordeal, but it had never occurred to   
him that Obi-Wan could be Force-sensitive.   
  
Qui-Gon looked down at the boy and realized just how much he had grown. He   
was certainly heavier, but he also looked so very healthy. That's why he   
felt as if they had met him before! But there was still something that still   
needed answering - why was he feeling so connected to Obi-Wan?  
  
Skyla glanced up at the clock and noticed how late it was. "Look at the   
time! Its awfully late, Qui-Gon. Could you take him to his bed? It is the   
only one that is empty," she requested as she looked from one Master to   
another.  
  
"Of course," Qui-Gon said, as he stood, carefully not to wake his little new   
friend. He then headed towards the Sleep Quarters as he looked over his   
shoulder and whispered, "Bye, Mace. Skyla."  
  
"Bye, Qui. See you tomorrow," with Qui-Gon already gone, Mace turned to   
Skyla, "It's simply incredible! It's as if the little boy had been waiting   
for Qui-Gon!"  
  
"I would bet he had been."  
  
  
*** *** *** *** *** ***  
  
  
Qui-Gon had finally reached the Sleep Quarters. This section of the Creche   
was dominated by a long hall filled with hundreds of little beds. All the   
beds were occupied by children ranging in age from 2 years to 6 years old.   
As he continued walking, he suddenly spotted the one empty be. Obviously,   
this bed belonged to Obi-Wan. Quietly, he sat on the edge of the bed, slowly   
placed the sleeping boy on it.   
  
As soon as Obi-Wan felt himself separate from his feeling of safety and   
warmth, he gasped and quickly opened his eyes. Qui-Gon was still there, but   
he didn't look as if he were staying. Quickly, he climbed back onto the   
Master's lap and embraced Qui-Gon's broad chest with his short arms.  
  
"No go...shtay...!" he cried pleadingly.  
  
Qui-Gon was obviously surprised by both their reactions. It was amazing how   
the child could feel that he was about to leave! And now, he was holding on   
to Qui-Gon for dear life. Qui-Gon's though of heading for his own bed   
wavered a little at the child's words. But, he soon realized that he was not   
going to be able to sleep on such a small bed.   
  
"Obi-Wan I can't stay here, I have to sleep in my own bed," he said as he   
tried to reason with the child.   
  
"No...slip heah,...don' like dark...," Obi pleaded, almost sobbing. He   
buried his face against Qui-Gon's chest.  
  
Qui-Gon's iron determination melted at the simple and innocent plea from the   
initiate. /I can deal with the most complicated and stubborn of diplomats,   
but here I am being manipulated by a 3-year-old initiate...,/ he thought in   
amusement.  
  
"All right, Obi-Wan, I will stay here with you," he sighed in resignation.   
"But just for tonight. Okay?"  
  
The smile that suddenly illuminated the boy's face was priceless. Obi-Wan   
quickly got under the blankets and made as much room for the large Master as   
possible. Before lying on the *very* small bed, he looked around and saw   
hundreds of sleeping children that, come morning, were going to be very   
surprised to find a very tall and very sleepy Jedi Master in their sleeping   
quarters. He winced at the idea, but shook the though aside as he carefully   
settled alongside Obi-Wan. He pillowed the small head on his arm and drew   
the little frame closer.  
  
"Good night, little one."  
  
Obi-Wan murmured a 'Nite, nite', then drifted off into a peaceful dream,   
feeling safe for the first time since he last saw his Mom.  
  
As he heard Obi-Wan's breathing become slow and deep, Qui-Gon examined his   
situation. He was lying on the smallest of the Creche beds, surrounded by   
hundreds of little monsters that in the morning were going to start   
screaming, running, and jumping...but he didn't care. A year ago he would   
have never done anything like this. But now, watching this particular child,   
the same one he had saved two years ago from a certain death, who now lay so   
peacefully dreaming...he just didn't care. If doing all this meant bringing a   
little bit of happiness into Obi-Wan's life, then he would gladly do it.   
  
Qui-Gon titled his head until he could see the soft features of the sleeping   
boy. Being near Obi-Wan made the Master feel very calm and at ease. It had   
been a long time since he last felt this way, since before Xanatos had turned   
to the Dark Side. The wounds of that betrayal were still very fresh and they   
were still very open. But, strangely, they didn't hurt as much in Obi-Wan's   
calm presence. He could feel Obi-Wan's peaceful and innocent aura swirl   
around him, and through him. Perhaps this boy was what he needed to heal, to   
leave the past behind.  
  
A yawn escaped him as his blue eyes slowly began to close. As sleep gently   
began to claim him, he shifted slightly, trying to find a more comfortable   
position on the small bed. He happily smiled as he dropped a kiss on the   
soft, auburn hair of the small head lying contentedly next to him. His soft,   
happy smile softened his lips as sleep finally claimed him.  
  
The End.  



End file.
